Did you know that the car detailing profession is growing at a rate of about 4% per decade?
Maybe it’s all those The Fast and the Furious movies! Whatever the reason, more and more people are seeking out detailing jobs.
Detailing is the art of deep-cleaning a car’s exterior and interior. Detailers can create dramatic, glamorous transformations. But there are often hours of hard work behind a single set of before-and-after photos.
So what is life as a car detailer actually like? Let’s take a look:
The Devil’s In the Detail
A good car detailer can make a car look better in ways the average person may not even be able to put their finger on. A well-detailed car doesn’t just look cleaner, but somehow “newer.” How do detailers do it?
The clue’s right in the name: detailers pay attention to every element of a car’s appearance. Tiny dents and scratches, fading plastic bumpers, grimy doorjambs—detailers handle it all. The “newer” feeling you get when you look at a detailed car comes from all those little touches.
It’s no surprise, then, that detail-oriented people tend to thrive as car detailers. The more pride you take in meticulous, thorough work, the more you’ll enjoy being a detailer.
Detailers Work on All Kinds of Cars
Some people think detailing is only for certain kinds of car owners and certain kinds of cars. But detailers actually see a wide array of cars and people every day.
You’ll interact with everyday drivers who take their cars in to make their commute feel a little nicer. You’ll interact with car dealers, who use detailing services to make used cars look newer (and sell for more). You may even interact with high-end car collectors.
The length of each car detailing job will vary. Packages can range from an hour of work for basic services to days of specialized attention for collector or luxury vehicles.
The Workplace May Move Around
Sometimes the car will come to you, and sometimes you’ll come to the car. Lots of detailing businesses operate mobile units outfitted with a complete detailing setup.
Sometimes, detailers use mobile units to provide efficient service to lots of cars at a second location, such as a used car lot. At other times they use it to provide convenient at-home services.
Detailers Learn Every Day
Detailing is more than just a fancy carwash. While there’s lots of cleaning involved, it can also entail specialized products and advanced equipment.
Picking the right UV protectant, smoothing out a dent, and fixing paint scratches all require specialized skills. When someone tries to detail a car and doesn’t know what they’re doing, things can go very wrong. They may remove paint or use chemicals unsafely.
Good detailing shops will make sure newer employees get on-the-job education without ever entrusting an advanced job to someone who’s not ready yet.
Life as A Car Detailer: Is it For You?
Do you love paying attention to the little things? Can you balance time management with meticulous attention to detail? Then life as a car detailer may be for you.
Car detailers can get a lot of pride and satisfaction out of making a car feel new again. Even if you’re not looking for a car detailer career, you can still benefit from a good detailer’s work ethic and professional pride. Contact us today to get a quote about our high-quality car detailing services.